A.S. Masalimov as the founder and leader of a new direction in ESR spectroscopy and quantum chemistry of free radicals

The article highlights the creative path of A.S. Masalimov, an outstanding Kazakhstan chemist who celebrates his 70th anniversary in 2022. The main stages of his career and significant events of his scientific career are presented here. The contribution of professor A.S. Masalimov in the foundation and development of the school of ESR spectroscopy and quantum chemistry at the Karaganda Buketov University is shown.

Synthesis and Catalytic Properties of Novel Ruthenacarboranes Based on nido-[5-Me-7,8-C2B9H10]2− and nido-[5,6-Me2-7,8-C2B9H9]2− Dicarbollide Ligands

The effect of methyl substituents in the lower belt of dicarbollide ligands on the redox potential of ruthenacarboranes based thereof, as well as the ability of the metallacarboranes obtained to catalyze radical polymerization with atom transfer were studied. For this purpose, a new approach to the synthesis of closo-ruthenacarboranes based on substituted dicarbollide ligands was developed and six new complexes 3,3-(Ph2P(CH2)4PPh2)-3-H-3-Cl-9-Me-12-X-closo-3,1,2-RuC2B9H9, 3,3,8-(Ph2P(CH2)4PPh-m-(C6H4-о))-3-Cl-9-Me-12-X-closo-3,1,2-RuC2B9H8 and 3,3,4,8-(Ph2P(CH2)4P-m-(C6H4-о)2)-3-Cl-9-Me-9-X-closo-3,1,2-RuC2B9H7 (X = H, Me) were synthetized and characterized by single crystal X-ray diffraction, NMR and ESR spectroscopy and MALDI TOF mass-spectrometry. Comparison of the values of the redox potentials of the synthesized ruthenium complexes in 1,2-dichloroethane with the values previously found for the corresponding ruthenacarboranes based on the parent dicarbollide anion showed that the introduction of methyl substituents into the carborane cage led to a decrease in the redox potentials of the complexes, which made them more preferable catalysts for ATRP. Test experiments on the polymerization of MMA showed that the synthesized ruthenacarboranes were effective catalysts for ATRP, the most active being the complex with two methyl groups and two ortho-phenylenecycloboronated fragments.

Mechanistic insight into light-dependent recognition of Timeless by Drosophila cryptochrome

SUMMARYCryptochrome (CRY) entrains the fly circadian clock by binding to Timeless (TIM) in light and triggering its degradation. Undocking of a helical C-terminal tail (CTT) in response to photoreduction of the CRY flavin cofactor gates TIM binding. A generally-applicable Select Western-blot-Free Tagged-protein Interaction (SWFTI) assay enables quantification of CRY binding to TIM in dark and light. The assay is utilized to study CRY variants with residue substitutions in the flavin pocket and correlate their TIM affinities with CTT undocking, as measured by pulse-dipolar ESR spectroscopy and evaluated by molecular dynamics simulations. CRY variants with the CTT removed or undocked bind TIM constitutively, whereas those incapable of photoreduction bind TIM weakly. In response to flavin redox state, two conserved histidine residues contribute to a robust on/off switch by mediating CTT interactions with the flavin pocket and TIM. Our approach provides an expeditious means to quantify protein-protein interactions and photoreceptor targeting.

Redox Conversions of 5-Methyl-6-nitro-7-oxo-4,7-dihydro-1,2,4triazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidinide L-Arginine Monohydrate as a Promising Antiviral Drug

This article presents the results of a study of electrochemical transformations in aqueous and aprotic media of 5-methyl-6-nitro-7-oxo-4,7-dihydro-1,2,4-triazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidinide l-arginine monohydrate (1a, Triazid) obtained by electrochemical methods and ESR spectroscopy. The effect of pH on the current and the reduction potential of 1a in an aqueous Britton–Robinson buffer solution was studied. It was found that 1a is irreversibly reduced in aqueous acidic media on a glassy carbon electrode in one stage with the participation of six electrons and the formation of 5-methyl-6-amino-7-oxo-1,2,4-triazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidin. The electroreduction of 1a in DMF on a background of tetrabutylammonium salts proceeds in two stages, controlled by the kinetics of second-order reactions. In the first stage, the reduction of 1a is accompanied by protonation by the initial compound of the basic intermediate products formed in the electrode reaction (self-protonation mechanism). The second quasi-reversible stage of the electroreduction 1a corresponds to the formation of a dianion radical upon the reduction of the heterocyclic anion 5-methyl-6-nitro-7-oxo-4,7-dihydro-1,2,4-triazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidin, which is formed upon the potentials of the first peak. The ESR spectrum of the radical dianion was recorded upon electroreduction of Triazid in the presence of Bu4NOH. The effect of the formation of ion pairs on the reversibility of the second peak of the 1a transformation is shown. A change in the rate and regioselectivity of the protonation of the dianion radical in the presence of Na+ and Li+ ions is assumed. The results of studying the electroreduction of 1a by ESR spectroscopy with a TEMPO trap make it possible to assume the simultaneous formation of both a nitroxyl radical and a radical with the spin density localized on the nitrogen at the 4 position of the six-membered ring.

Detection of radiation treatment of spices using Electron Spin Resonance Spectroscopy Technique

Use of ionising radiation for commercial sterilisation to increase the hygienic quality of spices is increasing worldwide. Among several detection methods, Electron Spin Resonance (ESR) spectroscopy is one of the reliable techniques for irradiated foods containing some hard and dried parts. Spices are therefore candidates of such a method and radiation treated spices can be detected. The purpose of the present work was to identify the radiation treatment of spices like cinnamon, cardamom, ginger and rosemary using the sensitive technique of ESR spectroscopy. The spice samples were irradiated to 5, 10, 15 and 20 kilogray (kGy) or unirradiated and the samples were dried in vacuum oven and were placed into quartztubes for ESR measurement. On measurements, the unirradiated samples were found to show the ESR-signal at g-value of 2.004 that is typical in case of plant foods containing cellulose. Whereas, the irradiated samples showed a formation of a new paramagnetic structure that appeared in the form of a triplet-signal, attributed to radiation-induced cellulose radical. The clear difference between the nature of ESR signals in case of unirradiated and irradiated samples provided the evidence of the radiation treatment of spices samples. It is therefore concluded that radiation treatment of spices can be identified using sensitive ESR spectroscopy during a storage period of three to ten months.

Comparative EPR Study on the Scavenging Effect of Methotrexate with the Isomers of Its Photoswitchable Derivative

The scavenging effect of the antimetabolite dihydrofolate reductase inhibitor methotrexate (MTX) and the isomers of its photoswitchable derivate, cis- and trans-phototrexate (PHX), have been compared by ESR spectroscopy, with the application of a cyclic hydroxylamine spin probe. The results showed the most pronounced scavenging effect in the presence of trans-phototrexate (trans-PHX). At a low concentration (100 µM) cis-PHX also showed a greater scavenging effect than the parent molecule MTX. Direct antioxidant properties of the investigated molecules were measured by ABTS scavenging assay, which showed no significant difference between trans-PHX and cis-PHX, but both of the isomers of PHX showed a higher antioxidant capacity than MTX. These findings imply that trans-PHX may have more pronounced anti-inflammatory and tissue-protective effects than MTX, despite the lack of its cytotoxic, antineoplastic effect.